• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, November 17, 2008

The Coffee Company, an aptly named business located in Amsterdam, was looking for a way to persuade college students to spend more time in its stores. So the company offered free Wi-Fi in shops situated closely to universities.

The students came in droves to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi, but failed to buy much product.

A company called THEY, along with help from X/OS, created a Wi-Fi campaign that moved The Coffee Company's menu into a person's Wi-Fi menu.

If that didn't give college students the hint, the wireless network name was sporadically changed from The Coffee Company to unsubtle names like, "ByCoffeeForCuteGirlOverThere," "BuyAnotherCupYouCheapskate," "HaveYouTriedTheCarrotCake," "OrderAnotherCoffeeAlready" and "BuyALargeLatteGetBrownieForFree."

What clever names to scroll atop a user's Wi-Fi menu rather than the company name.

Still, students might find the not-so-subliminal messaging amusing, but it doesn't mean they'll rush to the counter and buy another latte.

The network name changes did cause confusion, however. When students yelled to baristas across the room for the Wi-Fi network name, the baristas responded with, "Have you tried the carrot cake?"